1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid discharge head that discharges liquid, and an inkjet recording head that discharges ink.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wire bonding and inner lead bonding (ILB) are available as a method for electrically connecting a semiconductor chip (also referred to as a recording element substrate) and an electric wiring substrate that are mounted on an inkjet recording head. For example, the wire bonding is a method of electrically connecting a pad disposed on the semiconductor chip with a lead disposed on the electric wiring substrate via a metal wire. When the electrical connection is achieved by the wire bonding, an edge touch short circuit might occur. Specifically, the wire might touch an edge portion of the semiconductor chip to cause a short circuit. As a configuration for preventing the edge touch, the wire may have a higher loop height so as to increase the distance between the wire and the semiconductor chip edge portion.
In the inkjet recording head, a discharge port that discharges ink is disposed on a surface layer of the semiconductor chip. The distance between a nozzle and a print sheet has been required to be shorter to improve image quality of a print product. To shorten the distance between the discharge port of the semiconductor chip and the print sheet, the size of the portion of a connection line loop protruded from the semiconductor chip surface needs to be smaller. In other words, the height of the connection line loop needs to be lowered.
All things considered, there has been required a method for securing insulation between the connection line and the semiconductor chip, without increasing the height of the connection line loop, and desirably with the height of the connection line loop being lower than that in a conventional case.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-340923 discusses a method to address this problem. Specifically, a semiconductor chip is obtained by forming an insulating film such as a resin on a semiconductor substrate such as a wafer before it is cut, and cutting the semiconductor substrate together with the insulating film. Thus, an end portion (edge portion) of the surface of the semiconductor substrate is protected by the insulating film.